Youth Political Representation Research Network
youthpolrep.bsky.social
Youth Political Representation Research Network
@youthpolrep.bsky.social
Bringing together academics, practitioners, and activists who are passionate about youth's political representation in elected office.

Research bibliography and more info: https://youthpoliticalrep.wixsite.com/youthpolrep
*generations
October 15, 2025 at 9:24 AM
It is followed by a piece by @niklasbolin.bsky.social :
🚨New article out 🚨

Party youth wings are often described as partners that trade votes for influence with their senior parties. But how do their own members see it?

In this article I examine whether they think their organizations' mission is to influence the senior party or to support it.
Influence or support? Member perspectives on youth wings in political parties - European Political Science
Political parties maintain connections with various sub-organisations to engage different segments of society. Common among these are party youth wings. These relationships are often described as mutual, where votes are exchanged for policies. However, little research delves into how members of these sub-organisations perceive their roles in relation to the senior party. Based on a web survey of approximately 3000 respondents, this study investigates the views of youth wing members within Swedish political parties. Specifically, it explores whether members believe their youth wing’s primary role should be to influence or support the senior party. Drawing on theories of political engagement incentives, it examines the connection between members’ political and career motivations and their perceptions of these roles. Results suggest that those with career-oriented incentives tend to view the youth wing as supportive, while politically motivated members prioritise influencing the senior party. This research contributes to our understanding of the complex dynamics within political parties and their affiliated organisations, shedding light on how individual motivations shape organisational roles.
link.springer.com
September 30, 2025 at 12:00 PM
The next article by Kirstie Dobbs looks at the so-called generation Z and the likelihood of this generation joining political parties:

link.springer.com/article/10.1...
#Political parties: bridging divides between youth and political institutions - European Political Science
As a reaction to the COVID- 19 pandemic and the wave of global social justice protests in 2020, Generation Z (born 1997–2012)0 F feels an intensified obligation to get involved in politics, resulting in unprecedented youth activism. Gen Z is more politically active than previous generations of youth, partly due to this generation’s emergence as “digital natives.” An underlying theme motivating Gen Z activism is their affinity for addressing social justice issues through civic engagement. But do politically active young people concerned with social justice self-identify as being members of political parties? Or is their activism occurring predominantly online and in the streets? This article conducts an exploratory analysis to investigate whether youth bridge their social consciousness and activism with deliberative democracy, notably by joining political parties. By looking at youth activism and party membership across 46 countries, I find that political activism online exhibits some connection to party membership among young people. Understanding the connection between young people’s “chosen” forms of participation and formal institutions can provide insights into how online activism can break down barriers between youth and political institutions.
link.springer.com
September 30, 2025 at 12:00 PM
The introduction is followed by a piece from @karinakosped.bsky.social
How well are young people represented along the recruitment ladder? The pipeline problem for the Danish youth is within parties, since they are eager to stand for election and well represented at the parliamentary level. New article out in @ecpr.bsky.social's EPS. Open access: rdcu.be/eIiM1.
September 30, 2025 at 12:00 PM
Featuring work by @kirareneekurz.bsky.social, Kamila Kolodziejczyk, Daniel Stockemer, @dienerjulius.bsky.social, @danschindler.bsky.social and @hallehellmann.bsky.social.
July 1, 2025 at 8:57 AM